#Spayathon4PR

In February, a team of Emancipet veterinarians and staff, including Emancipet CEO Amy Mills, headed off to the third of what will be four trips included in “Spayathon for Puerto Rico,” developed by the Humane Society of the United States.

We provided services for pets in the Cidra sector of the island. In total, Emancipet spayed and neutered 1,417 pets.

Emancipet and its staff are uniquely experienced in hurricane recovery. Its Houston clinic undertook an extraordinary effort following Hurricane Harvey, providing three months of free veterinary care to people and pets impacted by the crisis and its aftermath, including more than 1,000 spay/neuter surgeries and more than 13,500 vaccinations. Emancipet Houston branch manager DeWayne Compton who helped manage the post-Harvey effort, will be part of the crew in Puerto Rico.

This initiative also has a second important goal, which is to build more capacity for free and low cost spay/neuter in Puerto Rico after the conclusion of the project. The HSUS, through a partnership with the ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance, is offering high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter training for Puerto Rico veterinarians to increase the number of veterinarians on the island who can safely provide these services. In addition, at the conclusion of the 18-month project, all the surgical partners, including Emancipet, will donate their surgical equipment and supplies to local veterinarians, to help further the animal welfare efforts in Puerto Rico.

Maddie’s Fund® and other non-profit organizations, including PetSmart Charities, Petco Foundation, GreaterGood.org and The 20/22 Act Society, are providing the financial support necessary to carry out this initiative. Other groups like Banfield Foundation, Best Friends Animal Society and Rescue Bank are providing critical supplies, such as vaccines, pet food and crates.